Inherited or transmitted gut microbes affect skeletal development in animals
Gut microbes passed from female mice to their offspring, or shared between mice that live together, may influence the animals bone mass, says a new study published today in
eLife.
The findings suggest that treatments which alter the gut microbiome could help improve bone structure or treat conditions that weaken bones, such as osteoporosis.
Genetics account for most of the variability in human bone density, but non-genetic factors such as gut microbes may also play a role. We wanted to investigate the influence of the microbiome on skeletal growth and bone mass development.